Good Times & a LOVEly dinner

We belong to a dinner group with a total of 22 people. It is always fun to get together with these friends...good food, good conversation, good times.

We were the hosts this month.

It's fun to host the night, but it involves work (as you can imagine).

Having people over is always a great motivator to cleaning. I do clean, don't get me wrong, or think I don't clean unless someone is coming over!!

I made a really LONG dining room table in our empty dining/living room....I knew there was a good reason to not have anything in this room! We used 3 long tables, pushed them together, set the table & then placed beautiful flower arrangements on the table. Compliments of my sweet husband!

Our friends showed up with their food contribution...we had a great pasta dish that my sister really loves, we like it too...we got the recipe here....it's really good & it was a definite hit with the party people.

Christine & Daphenie helping get the pasta dish ready to serve


Stan & Lillie (I serve with Lillie, she's our Ward Primary President)

our neighbor friend Todd & another friend Adam...they showed up in matching colors,

we thought it was funny!

After dinner we played the Newlywed Game. It was a riot! We had a lot of laughs, tears (caused from laughing) and learned a lot about each other.

What happens at Dinner Group....stays at Dinner Group!

It was a fun night!

My Uncle Robert McIntyre

This is a picture of My Mom, her Mom, her Sister Lorraine & her brother Bob (and spouses)

My Mom's Brother, Robert McIntyre, my Uncle Bob, turned 75 on February 9th. He quietly passed away from cancer early in the morning on February 11th (his own Mother's birthday). It was a sad day for his family & especially for her (my sweet Grandma, that I just introduced you to). Uncle bob was really sick. He was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, went thru chemo & went into remission. But several months ago it returned. The crazy thing is that two weeks before he passed away he was working full time at Home Depot. He had another minor stroke & was involved in a minor traffic accident which placed him in the hospital for two days & then he went downhill extremely fast.

My parents opened their home up & held a memorial (a celebration of his life) for Bob's family & friends. There were about 60 people there & it was nice to visit with extended family. My Mom also put together a beautiful slide show of my Uncle's life. He will be greatly missed, but it is a blessing for him to not be in pain anymore.

This is a picture of my Grandma on her 94th birthday, with her three children.

Priceless

My Sweet Grandma

This is my Sweet Grandma....

this is my wedding day

(1o years ago last month)....

{I love this picture}

Today my Grandma turns 97!

NINETY-SEVEN!!!!

Can you imagine turning that old? Can you even imagine the things you have seen in your life? Can you even think of what it would be like to be that old? I have to admit, that I really hope I don't live that long. Is that crazy to say that out loud? I just want to go to sleep some night & not wake up....don't get me wrong, I hope that this doesn't occur for at least 40-45 more years at the earliest...but I do know the timing is definitely not up to me.

So if you were born in 1913, you have lived thru some major events. But the things that stick out in my mind are the changes in technology, traveling (cars, airplanes), television...the styles of clothes, the cost of things (a gallon of gas cost 12 cents!, a gallon of milk cost 36 cents, a new car cost $490.00 (can you imagine!), a new house cost $3395.00 and a yearly income was about $1,296.00).

I am grateful to have been born when I was. I know that I would not have done well to have lived when the Pioneers lived...I'm sure I would have done fine, but knowing what I know now, I'm glad I didn't have to go thru the things they lived thru. I guess I can say that I am spoiled. I like a house with walls and carpet, beds with nice sheets, a car to drive (not a horse, which I'm afraid of riding on!)...the list can go on and on.

I admire my Grandma. I have great memories of growing up living close to her. I love her so much and it makes me sad to know that she would love to go and be with her husband (my Papa) who died in 1974/1975. That's a long time to miss someone! She has lived a great life, she has traveled a lot, she has a lot of stories (she doesn't remember them much anymore). Her mind is not as sharp as it once was, but she is still lovely. When I moved back east to Ohio, she would write me letters. We were pen pals. I loved getting letters from her. I have kept most of them. I love them. She is the best Grandma!

{this was taken on Christmas Eve, 2009}

I hope she has the best birthday you can have when you turn 97 years old.

Happy Happy Birthday Grandma! We love you to pieces!

the first month

So my plan to keep everything up to date, has definitely fallen to the way side....kind of like a New Years Resolution! I don't actually make any of those, because then I don't have to break them.

So the month of January came & went. Did I blog once, NOPE!

So, here are a few pics...nothing too exciting, but it is our life. We do have a good life, but lately it seems like a lot of have to do this, need to do this...must go here, must go there. The list goes on and on. I actually have been feeling a little overwhelmed lately, but it will pass!

So what have we been up to:

** Visited Disneyland

** We went to see Mary Poppins and LOVED it!

**Scott & Christine celebrated their TEN year anniversary. Hard to believe. We actually got a babysitter and went out! Yay for us!

** Noah keeps going to pre-school...he had a lot of fun this month because they were learning about DINOSAURS. He was really getting into it!

**Christine attempted to go the mountains for a weekend scrapbook getaway with her sister and a bunch of wonderful friends. BUT, about once a decade in California we get very wet weather...it just happened to occur the exact weekend that we had this cabin reserved. We didn't even make it to the bottom of the mountain. The roads were closed due to way too much SNOW, before we could even attempt it. But the weekend was saved by hard work by one of the ladies & we ended up having our weekend at a local hotel/conference room. It was fun.

** Christine had a cyst in her neck removed. It has been uncomfortable, but today it is actually feeling okay. It has taken about 4 days to feel okay. It looks bad.
** I finally got my new furniture for my scrapbook room. I have been looking forward to this! It has made a huge difference! I like it, but still trying to find places for my stuff!
** I have been B.U.S.Y. with my church calling, valentine crafts, and everyday normal activities. But that's what makes the world go round!

I'm going to try, I say this lightly, to keep up!

I promise to TRY.

Merry Christmas to all & to all a good night....

This is what the end of a long fun-filled Christmas day looks like........

Noah enjoyed his last nightly snuggle time with Grandma & Grandpa
good night!

SnOW fUn!!!

One of the highlights when we visit Grandma & Grandpa at Christmas time.....
IS
PLAYING
IN
THE
SNOW!!!!!

There is a slope across the street from Grandma's house, that is the perfect size for Noah. Although he calls it, "The BIG mountain I slide down!"

This year his jacket is slick & is perfect for sliding....probably better than a sled. Scott calls the jacket, "the big black bag." It does resemble a trash bag.

Nothings better than having SnOW fUn!!!

ALVINNN.......

Today we are celebrating Noah's fifth birthday a little early......so for the first celebration of the day......

Alvin & The Chipmunks II, on OPENING day....the VERY first showing....standing in line outside where it was 20 degrees, waiting for the theatre to open....thank goodness for a smart Grandma who bought tickets the day before while seeing a different movie {thank you Grandma}.....

Fun was had by all!